Economy
Pension Funds no Longer Diverted to Private Pockets—PenCom DG
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ms Aisha Dahir-Umar, has assured workers and pensioners in the country that their funds are in safe hands, noting that they are not being diverted like in the past.
Ms Dahir-Umar, while speaking recently at the 2024 congress of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Abuja, stated that the N18 trillion pension assets are being invested mainly in low-risk assets.
The DG, who was represented at the event by the agency’s Head of Corporate Communication, Mr Ibrahim Buwai, emphasised that returns from such investments are automatically distributed back to the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holder after the allowable charges for the management and distribution of the pension funds.
She said persons under the scheme have nothing to fear about as the era of pension funds being diverted to private pockets was now a thing of the past.
“Nobody takes a penny, not PFAs (Pension Fund Administrators), not PenCom, nobody.
“All this money recovered was for RSA holders and it goes into RSA.
“What you can help us by way of employers is that it is not in their interests not to remit because it is cheaper to remit than not to remit,” the PenCom chief stated.
Ms Dahir-Umar averred that as a regulator, the primary responsibility of PenCom is to ensure that funds are safe, efficient, and effectively managed and that they are available to be paid as retirement benefits as and when due.
She also disclosed that the commission has recovered about N45.45 billion in unremitted contributions and penalties from employers between 2012 and 2023, revealing that N12.9 billion was recovered from the principal contributions and N12.5 billion from penalties.
The DG used the occasion to applaud FICAN for its reportage about the organisation and the industry, calling for more public enlightenment campaigns for those in the informal sector to embrace the scheme.
“Despite the challenges we face, we would still see how best we can deepen the partnership. I want to assure you that we are always available, if you have a mix-up or need clarification, let us know, it’s our primary duty to offer needed information,” she said.
“There is still a long way to go, but what we can do on our part is just to continue to enlighten people, to show them that the micro pension plan acknowledges their rate of participation,” she said, adding that “since the micro pension started, there are about 100,000 RSAs that have been opened and the contribution is just over N500 million.
Economy
NGX RegCo Cautions Investors on Recent Price Movements
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The investing public has been advised to exercise due diligence before trading stocks on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
This caution was given by the NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), the independent regulatory arm of the NGX Group Plc.
The advisory became necessary in response to notable price movements observed in the shares of certain listed companies over recent trading sessions.
On Monday, the bourse suspended trading in the shares of newly-listed Zichis Agro-allied Industries Plc. The company’s stocks gained almost 900 per cent within a month of its listing on Customs Street.
In a statement today, NGX RegCo urged investors to avoid speculative trading based on unverified information and to consult licensed intermediaries such as stockbrokers or investment advisers when needed.
It explained that its advisory is part of its standard market surveillance functions, as it serves as a measured reminder for investors to prioritise informed and disciplined decision-making.
The notice emphasised that the Exchange will continue to monitor market activities closely in line with its mandate to ensure a fair, orderly, and transparent market.
“NGX RegCo encourages all investors to base their decisions on publicly available information, including a thorough assessment of company fundamentals, financial performance, and risk profile,” a part of the disclosure said.
It reassured all stakeholders that the NGX remains stable, well-regulated, and resilient, saying the platform continues to foster an environment where investors can participate with confidence, supported by robust oversight and transparent market operations.
“Our primary responsibility is to maintain a level playing field where market participants can trade with confidence, backed by timely and accurate information.
“This advisory is a routine communication, reinforcing that sound fundamentals, not speculation, remain the foundation for sustainable investment outcomes. We are fully committed to preserving the integrity and stability of our market,” the chief executive of NGX RegCo, Mr Olufemi Shobanjo, stated.
Economy
Stronger Taxpayer Confidence, Others Should Determine Tax Reform Success—Tegbe
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee (NTPIC), Mr Joseph Tegbe, has tasked the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to measure the success of the new tax laws by higher voluntary compliance rates, lower administrative costs, fewer disputes, faster resolution cycles, and stronger taxpayer confidence.
Speaking at the 2026 Leadership Retreat of the agency, Mr Tegbe said, “Sustainable revenue performance is built on trust and efficiency, not enforcement intensity,” emphasising that the legitimacy and predictability of the system are more critical than punitive measures.
He underscored that the country’s tax reform journey is at a critical juncture where effective implementation will determine long-term fiscal outcomes.
The NTPIC chief stressed that tax policy must serve as an enabler of governance, and should embody simplicity, equity, predictability, and administrability at scale.
These principles, he explained, foster voluntary compliance, reduce operational friction, and strengthen investor confidence. He warned that ad-hoc adjustments or policy drift could undermine reform momentum, unsettle businesses, and deter investment, which thrives on predictable rules rather than shifting announcements. Structured sequencing, clear transition mechanisms, and continuous feedback between policymakers and administrators are therefore critical to sustaining reform credibility.
Mr Tegbe further argued that revenue reform cannot succeed in isolation. Achieving sustainable gains requires a whole-of-government approach, leveraging robust taxpayer identification systems, integrated financial data, efficient dispute resolution, and harmonised coordination across federal and sub-national levels. This approach, he said, reduces leakages, eliminates multiple taxation, and reinforces confidence in the system.
He noted that the passage of four new tax laws marks only the beginning of a broader reform agenda, describing the initiative as a systemic recalibration of Nigeria’s fiscal architecture, rather than a routine policy update.
He further asserted that the true measure of success will be the credibility of implementation, not the design of the laws themselves.
The NRS, he noted, functions as the nation’s “Revenue System Integrator,” with outcomes reflecting the strength of an interconnected ecosystem that encompasses policy clarity, enforcement consistency, digital infrastructure, dispute resolution efficiency, and intergovernmental coordination.
Economy
NUPENG Seeks Clarity on New Oil, Gas Executive Order
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Union of Natural and Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expressed deep concern over the Executive Order by President Bola Tinubu mandating the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to remit directly to the federation account.
In a statement signed by its president, Mr William Akporeha, over the weekend in Lagos, the union noted that the absence of detailed public engagement had naturally generated tension within the sector and heightened restiveness among workers, who are anxious to know how the new directive may affect their employment, welfare and job security, especially as it affects NNPC and other major operations in the oil and gas sector.
It pointed out that the industry remained the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to national revenue, foreign exchange earnings, and employment.
The NUPENG president affirmed that any policy shift, particularly one introduced through an Executive Order, has far-reaching consequences for regulatory frameworks, Investment decisions, operational standards, and labour relations within the sector.
According to him, “there is an urgent need for clarity on the scope and objectives of the Executive Order -What precise reforms or adjustments does it introduce? “Its implications for the Petroleum Industry Act -Does the Order amend, interpret, or expand existing provisions under PIA?
“Impact on workers and existing labour agreements-Will it affect job security, conditions of service, Collective Bargaining agreements or ongoing restructuring processes within the industry? “Effects on indigenous participation and local content development -How will it affect Nigerian companies and employment opportunities for citizens?”
He warned that without proper consultation and explanation, misinterpretations of the Executive Order may spread across the industry, potentially destabilising operations and undermining industrial harmony that stakeholders have worked hard to sustain.
“Though our union remains committed to constructive engagement, national development and stability of the oil and gas sector, however, we are duty-bound and constitutionally bound to protect the rights and welfare and job security of our members whose livelihoods depend on a clear, fair and predictable policy framework,” Mr Akporeha further stated.
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